Food Recovery Network Launches Third Cohort of Community College Food Recovery Grant Program to Fight Campus Hunger and Food Waste
Food Recovery Network (FRN), the largest student-led movement recovering surplus food and ending hunger in the U.S., today officially announced the launch of its third-year cohort for the Community College Food Recovery Grant Program.
This initiative provides selected community colleges with financial and technical assistance to establish, sustain, and expand robust, student-supported food recovery programs. By bridging the gap between food waste and campus food insecurity, the program ensures surplus food from campus dining and local businesses is safely recovered and redirected to people who need it most.
Meeting a Critical Need Through Data-Driven Action
Historically, food recovery efforts have heavily mobilized students at four-year institutions. However, FRN’s data-driven analysis revealed that two-year community colleges are often located in geographic areas facing significantly higher food access and food waste disparities.
“While community colleges are essential lifelines for their communities, they are frequently under-resourced compared to four-year universities—meaning staff and student volunteers are often stretched thin. FRN’s grant program actively addresses this funding disparity by injecting crucial financial support and tailored technical assistance directly into these critical hubs,” says Regina Harmon, Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful that our community colleges come back year after year and for the ongoing partnerships that are helping this program grow.”
A Record of Exponential Impact
In the first two years of the program, each of the five participating community colleges has achieved remarkable success annually. As a group, 478, 729 pounds of surplus food have been collectively recovered and redirected.
This year, Food Recovery Network is excited to share that we received an exceptional number of applications. With the total number of applications doubling, we are expanding the cohort to include approximately 30 community colleges—six times the size of previous years' cohorts.
Continuing Partnerships:
Among this year’s cohort is the Community College of Aurora (CCA) in Aurora, Colorado. As a returning partner now entering its third year in the program, CCA exemplifies how sustained funding can transform campus infrastructure. CCA’s initial funding built the baseline recovery framework, while subsequent funding established a paid "Food Recovery Ambassador" role to lead student efforts and stock the campus's Wellness Den pantry.
"Our continued partnership with the Food Recovery Network demonstrates CCA’s commitment to supporting student learning and success by ensuring their foundational needs are met," said Dra. Reyna Anaya, Vice President of Student Success at the Community College of Aurora. "This grant provides CCA with an opportunity to expand our food recovery program, promote food security among our students, and contribute to a more sustainable campus. We are honored to be part of the grant cohort for a third year and look forward to continuing to reduce hunger and waste alongside the other institutions in the network."
The 2026-2027 cohort includes colleges that will begin implementing and expanding their programs throughout the fall and spring academic terms. We extend our sincere congratulations.
Baltimore City Community College (BCCC), MD
Central Lakes College, MN
Central Texas College, TX
Community College of Aurora, CO
Davidson-Davie Community College, NC
Fullerton College, CA
Gateway Community and Technical College, KY
Hartnell College, CA
LaGuardia Community College, NY
Los Angeles Mission College, CA
Los Angeles Trade Technical College, CA
Middlesex Community College, MA
Montana Technological University Highlands College, MT
Odessa College, TX
Owens State Community College, OH
Pikes Peak State College, CO
San Diego City College, CA
Santa Fe Community College, NM
South Puget Sound Community College, WA
South Seattle College, WA
Southeastern Illinois College, IL
Southwest Tennessee Community College Foundation, TN
Tacoma Community College, WA
(As of 7.16.26)
For more information on the Community College Food Recovery Grant Program, please visit the FRN Community Colleges Page or contact the program team at programs@foodrecoverynetwork.org.
About Food Recovery Network (FRN)
Food Recovery Network is the largest student-led movement recovering surplus food and ending hunger in the U.S. FRN unites more than 8,000 college students, food suppliers, farmers, and local businesses across the country to fight climate change and hunger. By recovering surplus food from across the supply chain and donating it to local hunger-fighting non-profits, FRN has successfully donated more than 20 million meals, saved more than 3.05 billion gallons of water, and prevented over 9,000 metric tons of CO2e.
